


Too Close to the Flame

by Zetal (Rodinia)



Series: Fandom Writing Challenge [3]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Ambiguous Miracles, M/M, Non-Hunting AU, faith issues, wildfire - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-12
Updated: 2017-06-12
Packaged: 2018-11-13 05:13:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11177784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rodinia/pseuds/Zetal
Summary: The flames climbed high into the night, and Castiel prayed for the first time since he was very young.





	Too Close to the Flame

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Fandom Writing Challenge Round 5: Fire  
> Prompt: Firefighter
> 
> Inspired by Ed Sheeran's awesome song "I See Fire" written for the The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Castiel was not what most people would consider a particularly religious man. He’d been very religious as a boy and a young man, but then, at a time in his life when he could really use God and some divine assistance… there was silence. Worse than silence. Castiel had felt a personal rejection from God. He’d become very bitter about it, and though he still believed in God and angels and all that, he didn’t have any use for them or believe that they gave a damn about him.

Instead, he believed in two men. He met them right at the beginning of the upheaval of his entire life, and through it all, Sam and Dean Winchester had stood by him. They were the ones to pull him out of the wreckage of his family home, and to help him figure out where to go next. They were firefighters, and they were his friends.

Over time, they’d become more. Sam became his boyfriend, later husband, and Dean became his brother. The others at their precinct, Jo Harvelle, Charlie Bradbury, Benny Lafitte, Kevin Tran, Anna Milton, Cole Trenton, their chief Bobby Singer… they were all friends. All brothers and sisters. And now, all in danger that Castiel could do nothing about.

They were all big goddamn heroes, is what they were, Dean would say. There was a wildfire in the Rockies, and their precinct had been asked for volunteers to go help fight it. Castiel, watching the desolation in the sky on TV, couldn’t argue with his friends when they said they had to go. Ellen Harvelle poured the heroes all a glass of wine. “Come home safe and come home together, dammit.”

“If we all die, we all die together!” Cole yelled. “Come on, we’re gonna kick that fire’s ass!”

Castiel and Ellen watched coverage together. The flames burned auburn on the mountainside, and some days it sounded promising, while others it sounded like any progress made was futile. Castiel couldn’t say why tonight, more than any other night so far, felt so critical. He just knew that sitting by Ellen watching coverage, he was terrified, more than any other night so far.

Ellen tried to comfort him. “They know what they’re doing, it’s not any more dangerous tonight than any other night. Try to relax. Sam’d drive himself crazy if he knew what you were doing to yourself.”

“I know.” Castiel stayed glued to the TV set. The announcer talked about a push being made by firefighters from Durango, and Castiel closed his eyes. It apparently wasn’t going well – a sudden shift in wind had them in danger. Castiel couldn’t do anything. He was helpless. If things didn’t go well, some or all of his brothers would die. His husband might die.

So he prayed.

 

Ellen shook him awake in the morning. “You’ve got a call, Castiel. Wake up.”

Castiel held out his hand, noting its shaking. He nearly fainted from relief when it was Sam’s voice. Not Bobby, not Dean, not some random stranger, it was Sam. “Hey, angel. Ellen said you were pretty worried last night. I’m sorry.”

“Sam, you have nothing to be sorry for. You need to be there, I can’t help you, you can’t control the wind. How’s Dean? And everyone else?”

“Fine. We’re all fine. Kevin’s got some heatstroke, we’re all kind of exhausted. Charlie’s breather failed, she’s got some smoke inhalation. It was bad, that wind shift could’ve killed us all, but just when we thought we were gonna get trapped, the wind changed again. We had a route out, just had to get to it before the wind changed again, and we did. They’re sending us home.”

Castiel’s eyes welled up with tears. “Thank God. When will you get here?”

“Tonight. I love you.”

“I love you too. Can’t wait to see you.” Castiel hung up and started crying from relief as he said a prayer of thanks. Maybe, just maybe, his faith wasn’t entirely gone.


End file.
